This Friday we’re getting set for the 4th Annual Mayor’s Innovation Challenge, where teams of students from Queen’s University and St. Lawrence College will pitch their best ideas for how to make Kingston a city that works better for everyone. As we work towards economic and social recovery from the current pandemic, there’s never been…
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With spring approaching, the Kingston Public Market will be returning soon here at Market Square. This year, we’re making some important changes to bring more local food options to the various markets in our community. There are so many excellent farmers and food producers across our region. As a City, we want to improve everyone’s…
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The housing market is red hot in Kingston right now, and with such a strong demand for housing, it’s critical we build as much new housing as possible. Otherwise, house prices and rental rates will continue to rise quickly. The Mayor’s Task Force on Housing identified harmonizing the City’s zoning by-laws as the most important…
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During this year’s budget deliberations, Council made a decision to draw $1M from the City’s reserve funds to help small businesses, non-profits and artists who have been hardest hit by the pandemic. The goal of this funding is to address gaps in existing support programs from the provincial and federal governments. For example, businesses that…
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With the emergence of ride sharing providers like Uber and Lyft, cities all over the world have been working to implement the right mix of regulations to ensure that these platforms provide a safe and reliable experience for users. In Kingston, we have a number of regulations in place for how taxis operate, and these…
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Throughout the pandemic, the City has been focused on repurposing public space to open up the downtown and ensure pedestrians can physically distance and businesses can expand operations. This week City Council approved a new and improved Love Kingston Marketplace, an initiative that will once again transform the downtown core to create a safe and…
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Introduction COVID-19 has impacted many facets of our community including amplifying existing challenges such as issues of homelessness, mental health, addiction, and access to affordable housing. It has also placed significant strain on our local post-secondary institutions, threatened the livelihood of our downtown and cultural sector, and the survival of many local businesses remains in…
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The Kingston Economic Recovery Team has been focused on several key priorities to ensure we build back in better and more inclusive ways on the other side of the pandemic. One of these priorities is to create more opportunities for underrepresented and marginalized groups. We want everyone in our city to have access to employment…
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With all the challenges we’re facing as a community as a result of the pandemic, it’s never been more important to explore new ideas and approaches to help support our recovery and ensure we build back in efficient and innovative ways. That’s why I’m thrilled to announce the launch of the 4th annual Mayor’s Innovation…
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The financial challenges facing our local businesses and non-profit agencies have been front and centre for myself and Council during this week’s budget deliberations. As mayor, I continue to press the federal and provincial governments for financial supports to help small business owners and their employees through the current lockdown. While upper levels of government…
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